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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rest — a break
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. club — a group
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rash — hasty
  11. track — to keep track
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rest — what's left
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com